1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a device for monitoring the medication and treatment of patients using a patient card, on which the patient""s attending physician stores all relevant findings, diagnoses und treatment steps.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recently, so-called patient cards have been introduced to a great extent. All essential findings, diagnoses and treatment steps in addition to the patient""s personal data and health insurance coverage are stored thereon. This not only facilitates insurance invoicing, but also allows the entire medical history of a patient to be accessible to the attending physician in order to be able to deduce the appropriate treatment steps in each case. For the individual patient, however, this patient card has only a limited significance. It would be desirable for the patient to have a system that supports him or her in medication and treatment so that the patient is reminded of important scheduled times, so as to avoid forgetting to take important medications or keep doctor""s appointments.
An object of the present invention is to provide a device for monitoring medication and treatment by patients on the basis of the patient card.
This object is inventively achieved in a device in the form of a pocket monitor having a clock or DCF-receiver, a plug-in receptacle for the patient card and a reader for treatment-relevant data as well as a display for displaying the readout information relating to the type and time of upcoming treatments and/or medication to be taken.
On the basis of the patient card, a second interface is thus inventively created for the possessor of the patient card that enables access only to part of the information stored on the patient card. A large amount of additional stored data is available only to the physician or health organization, who has a significantly more comprehensive card reading device available. The pocket monitor has no input possibility so that the stored patient data cannot be changed at all and can only be supplemented with additional data, e.g. the time that medication was administered.
In order to preclude misuse in the embodiment of the invention, the pocket monitor is provided with an identification circuit for enabling the display device. Such an identification circuit can contain either a fingerprint sensor or can be connected with a PIN code input device. In the case of a PIN code input device, instead of a keyboard for the input of the PIN code (as is normal), a cursor key is provided with which numbers can be selected on the display. Such a cursor key for the input of the PIN code can simultaneously control the executive sequencer of the display. By pressing the cursor key into the positions top, bottom, left or right, the corresponding areas of the screen can be selected and the display can also be xe2x80x9cadvancedxe2x80x9d if, e.g. the taking of a medication requires the simultaneous taking of other medications that cannot be displayed on the screen all at once. In such a case, the design of the pocket monitor will naturally be such that the patient is automatically prompted to advance the screen, or the device automatically advances to a new display also needing attention at the same time after user acknowledgment of the current display, which the pocket monitor documents and stores.
Of specific significance for the inventive purpose of monitoring medication and patient treatment is an optical, acoustic, or tactile (vibrator for deaf patients) alarm that can be automatically activated via the patient card data, this automatically reminding the patient that a specific medication is due to be taken or that there is a specific appointment with the physician or therapist. In this time reminder function an advance notice can be providedxe2x80x94preferably via a program already permanently stored in the pocket monitorxe2x80x94so that the patient is reminded a day in advance or at least a few hours in advance of the respective treatment appointment. In a further embodiment of the invention, the alarm can have a wireless connection to an external alarm device so that the alarm that occurs when an alarm point is reached will also be transmitted to an external alarm device as a back-up. Thus it is assured that the alarm will be perceived, even if the patient is not carrying the pocket monitor on his or her person. The identification circuit operating on the basis of a PIN code or a fingerprint can be designed such that, in addition to the patient, specific caretakers also can have access to certain of the treatment data, of an appropriate scope. The detailed information about the appointments or medications only appears on the monitor display after this identification. The patient or caretaker acknowledges the administering of the medication, and the time can be noted automatically. In the simplest case a confirmation input key can be connected directly to the identification circuit, i.e. the patient or caretaker simply presses the fingerprint sensor or the cursor key in order to indicate that he or she has seen a display notice and taken action.
If a scheduled time is not met within the limits prescribed by the medication, then depending on the importance of a medicationxe2x80x94either the dosage or the time interval can automatically be modified by a computer in the pocket monitor or an alarm can be given to visit a physician. These irregularities are also to be documented and stored in the pocket monitor, so that at the next appointment, the physician or caretaker has complete access to information regarding what the patient has done since the last treatment, or possibly has neglected to do.
The reminder regarding treatment appointments and the administering of specific medications is acknowledged by the patient in order to clear the alarm. Only the physician, therapist or caretaker, however, can record the beginning, type and end of the treatment since this data input requires a totally different device than the pocket monitor, that only represents a memory aid.